Your Gift at Work

Don’t forget to claim your charitable donations this tax year. If you maximize your deductions it can allow you to donate more to causes you believe in.

Remember you can claim:

• charitable donations made by December 31 of the applicable tax year;
• any unclaimed donations made in the previous five years; and
• any unclaimed donations made by your spouse or common law partner in the year or in the previous five years.

How much can you claim?

• The 2017 federal charitable tax credit rate is 15% on the first $200 and 29% on the remaining $200.
• The 2017 Manitoba charitable tax credit rate is 10.8% on the first $200 and 17.5% on the remaining $200.

For example as a donor in Manitoba if you have a taxable income of $40,000 and makes donations totaling $700 in 2016 your tax credit is calculated as:

That means you can claim up to 46.5% of any donations over $200! For more information on charitable tax benefits, please visit the CRA website or speak with your financial advisor.

Did you know about the First Time Donor Super Credit?

The First-Time Donor’s Super Credit was announced by the federal government in Budget 2013. It adds 25 percentage points to the federal charitable tax credit for eligible donors. For more info, please watch the video below or visit the CRA website.

Here are just a few of the areas that SMD Foundation/Easter Seals™ Manitoba supports with the help from your generous donation.

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA – SMD GRADUATE BURSARY

The SMD Graduate Bursary is available at The University of Manitoba through the Faculty of Graduate Studies in the amount of $5,000 to a graduate student meeting eligibility requirements in the Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Disability Studies.

CANADIAN CENTRE ON DISABILITY STUDIES (CCDS) - RESEARCH

The Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (CCDS) is a national, not- for-profit, disability-focused research and education organization located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The CCDS Small Grants program was established in 2001 to assist community-based disability- focused research initiatives in Canada. CCDS provides two grants on an annual basis.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT PROGRAM

Through our Assistive Technology Support Program, we help people gain access to assistive or adaptive aids and devices to improve their daily lives, by providing financial support to cover a portion of the often significant purchase cost. Assistive technology is any item, piece of equipment, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities and that helps them carry out their daily activities and maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle.

The Assistive Technology Support Program now offers individuals 50% reimbursement of the cost of an assistive technology device up to a maximum of $2,500 or the unfunded amount, whichever is lesser.

Here are a few testimonials from individuals that have received funding and have benefited from the program:

Andrea – Self-designed tray for transport & wheelchair
“I have come to rely completely on equipment and have begun to design / alter equipment to meet my individual needs. I realized that in order to make my arms more functional I needed a small narrow light tray just to rest my arms on while sitting in my wheelchair and transport chair. I designed a tray for this purpose…. My mom had the idea to contact a glass store. They suggested polycarbonate, thick enough, but light and reasonably priced.”

Caleb – CAN-DAN buddy roamer
“This walker has an open front concept that allows him to walk up to things. He can stand up at a table and paly or he is now able to attempt to kick a ball. This has given him so much more freedom to walk where he wants to go”.

Zachary – Cochlear implant
“Not hearing can pose safety risks when someone can’t hear traffic noises (like when crossing the street or bike riding), or impending danger (like an approaching wild animal or threatening individual), or even auditory cues that something might not be right in the home (the faucet is on, smoke detector, or there is an intruder in the home). There is no denying that hearing is extremely valuable for anyone and Zach’s Cochlear implant allows him the gift of hearing”.

Allen – Stair lifts
“I have heart and lung problems. Stairs are a challenge for me. I have not been down to the basement in over a year. With these lifts, I look forward to getting outside. I didn’t have to ask others to go downstairs to perform a task or to fetch an item”.

Over the years the following items have been approved for funding by the Assistive Technology Support Program Committee: